Fire at Krukziener building closes Auckland's Queen Street (PHOTOS)
16 fire engines attend as small blaze causes big chaos.
A small fire that started around 1.15pm at 163 Queen Street caused chaos in the Auckland CBD.
Emergency services closed off two blocks around the CML Building, where smoked billowed from a second floor window. At the height of the incident, 16 fire engines were in attendance, while hundreds of rubber-neckers clogged the footpath.
A fire officer told NBR that the cause of the apartment building blaze was unknown at this point. There were no reports of injuries.
The CML Building, has retail outlets on its ground floor, and apartments above, is owned by Macmonti holdings, 100% owned by sole director Veronica Krukziener - mother of bankrupt developer Andrew Krukziener and a prominent property investor in her own right.
A former resident, Paul Brislen, said his memories of the building included the Church of Scientology, which shared the floor.
Mr Brislen recalled that the configuration of the apartment block afforded him a view of the Scientologists' bathroom, which as "awesome."
The eight-story building has a rateable value of $13 million.
Andrew Krukziener told NBR that there was no major damage.
(Top photo courtesy @iChild.)
NBR staff
Fri, 08 Apr 2011
Fri, 08 Apr 2011
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
Fire at Krukziener building closes Auckland's Queen Street (PHOTOS)
13738